What exactly did Gov. Terry Branstad sign?

    STATE – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad on Friday signed into law sweeping changes to the state’s collective bargaining laws.
    Iowa House File 291 made significant changes to the state’s 43-year-old bill.  It limits most public-sector negotiations for union contracts to only base wages, and eliminates discussions on work-related items such as health care and supplemental pay as mandatory bargaining items.
    The law effects thousands of employees statewide including teachers, state and county workers, although some public safety workers (police and firefighters) are exempt from many of the far-reaching effects of the bargaining changes.  They’ll essentially have more rights than others at the bargaining table.